Do Nothing 112th Congress Set to Become Most Unproductive Since 1940s

There’s not much more you can say here. The people who got elected the last couple rounds are just not doing their freaking job.

UPDATE: My company just sent out a “We don’t know what Congress will set taxes at next year, so we are assuming X” (concise paraphrase of four paras) email. This is exactly the uncertainty you don’t want to put US business and workers in during a recovery.

As 2012 comes to a close, the 112th Congress is set to go down in American history as the most unproductive session since the 1940s.

According to a Huffington Post review of all the bills that hit President Barack Obama’s desk this session, Obama has signed 219 bills passed by the 112th Congress into law. With less than a week to go in the year, there are currently another 20 bills pending presidential action. In comparison, the last Congress passed 383 bills, while the one before it passed 460.

The 104th Congress (1995-1996) currently holds the ignominious distinction of being the least productive session of Congress, according to the U.S. House Clerk’s Office, which has records going back to 1947. Just 333 bills became law during that two-year period, meaning the 112th Congress needs to send nearly 100 more bills to Obama’s desk in the next few days if it wants to avoid going down in history — an unlikely prospect, considering that both chambers are squarely focused on averting the “fiscal cliff” before the new year.

The 112th Congress has done far less than the 80th Congress (1947-1948), which President Harry Truman infamously dubbed the “Do-Nothing Congress.” Those lawmakers passed 906 bills that became law.

Back in the nation's early days Congress met far less and passed fewer bills. You can't really compare congressional actions pre=Civil War with 20th Century Congresses; the latter had far more things to do.

Moreover. bill passage does not tell the whole story. While Newt Gingrich's 'Contract With America' is badly regarded by many, Gingrich did see it as an action plan; his goal wasn't just blocking Clinton, he became speaker to act. There was far less 'signaling' done in 1995-1996 and far more real attempts to get bills enacted into law. This Congress has been far less active.

Back in the nation's early days Congress met far less and passed fewer bills. You can't really compare congressional actions pre=Civil War with 20th Century Congresses; the latter had far more things to do.

Moreover. bill passage does not tell the whole story. While Newt Gingrich's 'Contract With America' is badly regarded by many, Gingrich did see it as an action plan; his goal wasn't just blocking Clinton, he became speaker to act. There was far less 'signaling' done in 1995-1996 and far more real attempts to get bills enacted into law. This Congress has been far less active.

It doesn't seem like the house is meeting that much it seems like since the Republicans have taken over they work one week and take 3 weeks off.